"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - how early do you get up for a race/event?

sheesh. i have my first organized ride today (it's not a race, tho, i'm sure some will treat as such) - the frostbite tour (http://www.frostbitetour.org/frostbite/) and it starts rolling at 9am. i've been up since 5:30am!!

i couldn't go back to sleep cause i was worried about not getting up then. so, here i am, having my organic pb & honey sandwich on whole wheat and a bit of OJ, all ready to go. just wish i could go on, but it's only about a 15min drive to the start.

is anyone up??

Yeah, I'm taking my bro-in-law to a race this morning, and we're up at 5 :p

heh. maybe i'll just paint my nails so that everything matches:p :D

I work a 24 today, so I got up and did 90' SST. Will be doing another 5x6' at LT later today if we're not too busy. Got on the bike at 0445.

But for a race, between 1-2 hours early. I like to relax and take my time getting ready and warming up.

For Central Park (NY City) Spring Series races in March, alarm @ 4AM, on the road by 4:30AM, race goes off 6:30AM.

For Central Park (NY City) Spring Series races in March, alarm @ 4AM, on the road by 4:30AM, race goes off 6:30AM.

gosh, that's an early start!

have fun today wolfie!

i've been up since 5:30am!!


Sounds like you already figured it out :) My problem is not waking up but falling asleep. I am usually so amped at night that I just lay there staring at the ceiling.

well, i took a melatonin last night before i went to bed, but it didn't help a whole lot this time:rolleyes:

i've got about 15 more minutes to kill here at the house, then i'm going. wanna get there and get a good warm up cause it's a bit chilly here this morning.

thanks bdg! (wink, wink:))

:D


hey what's the temp this morning?

we got another foot of snow over here!

Lucky me, I got up at 5:30 to go to work this morning...I get out around 7 :( :( :(

Good luck everybody who's racing/riding! :beer:

A like to get up an hour before I have to leave. Gives me a chance to eat some breakfast, have some coffee, and take a monstrous ****.

:D


hey what's the temp this morning?

we got another foot of snow over here!

Same here..........Oh hello trainer :)

Try and scoff 6 dimmies smoothered in soysos 10 mins before the race. Puts hairs on your chest. Dont say I dont give you lot anything.

Try and scoff 6 dimmies smoothered in soysos 10 mins before the race. Puts hairs on your chest.

:eek: I don't think she would be half as attractive with a hairy chest....LoL

wake up minimum 3 hours before race start always

I prefer to arrive at the venue 1 hour before the start. I factor in driving time (1.5*actual estimated time, or 1.25*Google's estimated time) so I can get stuck in traffic and not freak out. This usually puts me at the venue 1.5-2+ hours before the start.

I warm up, at best, for about 15-30 minutes (most racers do 30-60 minutes), so I spend most of the time trying not to get distracted talking with people I know. I have to do things like pump up tires, get wheels to pit (if applicable), figure out what fluids I'm carrying, dress, do any resetting of computers/camcorders/etc, pin/glue number, figure out what to do with keys and other misc stuff, and get to the line without flatting a tire.

For Prospect, it's different. When I lived an hour away, I'd pack the car the night before, be up at 4:30, out the door at 5:00, and get to the venue at 6. I'd ride to registration (few hundred yards), and sometimes be pinning my number at the start line (the line is always long for registration). My warmup would be the ride to registration. Now that I live 3-3.5 hours away... I don't know what to do. Maybe get close the night before and sleep in the car? Or take the van with a generator and microwave... That sounds better.

For a ride ride, not a race, I tend to get there late. Miss the big mass of riders starting at the scheduled start time. Tour de Palm Springs this year we started almost 2 hours after the official start time.

cdr

I prefer to arrive at the venue 1 hour before the start. I factor in driving time (1.5*actual estimated time, or 1.25*Google's estimated time) so I can get stuck in traffic and not freak out. This usually puts me at the venue 1.5-2+ hours before the start.

I warm up, at best, for about 15-30 minutes (most racers do 30-60 minutes), so I spend most of the time trying not to get distracted talking with people I know. I have to do things like pump up tires, get wheels to pit (if applicable), figure out what fluids I'm carrying, dress, do any resetting of computers/camcorders/etc, pin/glue number, figure out what to do with keys and other misc stuff, and get to the line without flatting a tire.



+1000

Thats my ideal situation. The problem is I'm in charge of travel for my team. Trying to get 15 college kids awake and on the road at 5:30 in the morning is like herding cats.

Edit: People on my team also need to realize that 1 hour before a race is not the ideal time to be working on your bike.

Edit: People on my team also need to realize that 1 hour before a race is not the ideal time to be working on your bike.

I get *****y if it's two days before the race.

Personally I take start time, minus one hour registration/setup/warmup time, minus drive time, minus one hour screwing around at home (usually I leave after a half-hour or so).

Last year it resulted in a bunch of 5:00 AM alarm clocks, but this year it should be ~6:00 since I upgraded.

Morning group rides: I get up half an hour before it would be necessary for me to leave. Quick shower, down two or three bowls of cereal down the hatch, slam a bottle of water, drop a fatty in the water closet, and out the door.

Races: Get up several hours before the race. I like to have my final meal about 2hrs before the start, and usually down a gel or powerbar when people are gathering at the line. One bottle of sports drink, one bottle of water. Alternate between the sports drink and water, preferably using the sports drink up first. A good spray of water down the back feels good towards the end of a race.

I get up at 0500 for work, so I'm used to early mornings. As a general rule, if I'd have to get up earlier than 0430 I'll drive to the location the night before and do the hobo thing and sleep in my car or camp out. I can't afford gas, race fees AND hotels all the time.

It's why I drive a Subaru Outback. Excellent car sleeping setup :D

I like to be at the race site 2 hours before hand to ensure a stress free registration and warmup.

I've recently discovered that the closer it is to home, the later and more rushed we will be. Need to plan better and not get comfortable with close venues.

That said...for the crits G has been racing lately we get there an 1:15 before race time, factor in driving time, get up an hour before that.

For our double centuries, there's no need to warm up, so we try to get there no less than 30 minutes before start time if we've already checked in the night before. Last week it was 15 minutes from home and we were running late...only got there 20 minutes before the start.

Try and scoff 6 dimmies smoothered in soysos 10 mins before the race. Puts hairs on your chest. Dont say I dont give you lot anything.

wtf is a "dimmie" and "soysos"?

wtf is a "dimmie" and "soysos"?

I will venture a guess, Dim Sum with soy sauce.

I will venture a guess, Dim Sum with soy sauce.

is that it? chinese puts hair on the chest?

The first race I went to this season was with someone who had never raced before. I've got a very smooth pre-race routine, so I forgot just how stressful it can be. He was running around like a chicken with its head cut off. He was so nervous I though he was going to puke.

Well I usually plan backwards. I like to be at the race between 1-1:30 hours before hand. That gives me time to warm up get registered, and not worry. 45min warm up for crits, 30 for RR, and get a front spot on the line. Driving normally takes about 2 hours around here and couple that with 7am start times and were looking at 3-4am for most races. Baker next weekend is going to be 2am to get there on time. last meal 2h before and a gel and enervit during warm up for crits.

The first race I went to this season was with someone who had never raced before. I've got a very smooth pre-race routine, so I forgot just how stressful it can be. He was running around like a chicken with its head cut off. He was so nervous I though he was going to puke.

That will be me. Next weekend. :o Luckily we'll already be there for a 7:00 a.m. race, I don't race until 11:00. Anyone else doing Dash 4 Cash???

Well I usually plan backwards. I like to be at the race between 1-1:30 hours before hand. That gives me time to warm up get registered, and not worry. 45min warm up for crits, 30 for RR, and get a front spot on the line. Driving normally takes about 2 hours around here and couple that with 7am start times and were looking at 3-4am for most races. Baker next weekend is going to be 2am to get there on time. last meal 2h before and a gel and enervit during warm up for crits.

Pssst...George has a room at one of the luxury motels in Baker with two beds, he's looking for someone to split the room with.

However early I have to get up in order to arrive there 2 hours before the event to register and warm up. But sometimes I get anxious and wake up early as well.

I plan to be at every race at least an hour before registration closes, just in case traffic slows me down.

Group rides i usually ride to, so it all depends on how fast i ride and how many lights i catch.

hey guys!

i had a great ride today! really great!!! i got there about an hour before the ride start. chatting with friends, getting a little bit of warmup riding in and then the metric.

awesome ride. i'll probably post something in my blog later today, but right now, i'm farkin' tired as hell.

Congrats, Wolfpack!

I was going to suggest, however, that if it's that close why not just ride to the ride?

yea, it is really close, probably 8-10mi. but, i knew how tired i was going to be afterwards and it's all hilly back to the house (and to the ride). 'sides, we went for food after the ride.